Connecter



Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE Application March31,

Claims.

This invention relates to electric cable connecters and in particular toa connecter for making a water-tight and moisture-proof joint between anelectric cable and a terminal box, meter casing or other housing member.The connecter is also constructed to prevent theft of current. Thepresent invention is an improvement over the connecter disclosed in mycopending application Serial No. 56,597, filed December 30, 1935.

In my copending application above identied, I have disclosed amoisture-proof and theft-prooi electric cable connecter involving aconnecter sleeve which surrounds the cable and has a threaded connectionwith the terminal box or meter casing. 'Ihe sleeve is provided with acap having a conductor aperture through which the cable extends. Thespace within the sleeve surrounding the conductor is illled with aplastic, adhesive, water-proof sealing compound, and the cap on thesleeve is arranged to compress this compound around the conductor andinto contact with the walls of the sleeve. In my prior construction, itis necessary to provide a series of caps with diiIerent sizes ofconductor apertures in order to accommodate different sizes and shapesof cables. An object of the present invention is `to devise aconstruction for retaining the sealing compound in the connecter sleevewithout the necessity of providing caps with different sizes ofapertures.

A specinc object of the present invention is to devise a cap for theconnecter sleeve having a construction for adjusting the size of theconductor aperture. By the use of the present invention, a single capelement will accommodate several different sizes of electric cables.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure1 is an elevational view of an assembled connecter showing the cablearranged in position within the connecter;

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1 showing the adjustable apertureadjusted for a cable of large size and of oval cross-section;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of Figure2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 4 4 oi Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a bottom view of Figure l,

Figure 6 is a view like Figure 2 showing the aperture adjusting membersadjusted to accommodate a substantially round cable of smaller size thanin Figure 2;

Figure 'i is a view like Figures 2 and 6 showing the aperture adjustingmembers adjusting to 1931, sensi No. 134,157

(ci. 24v-z5) accommodate a still smaller cable of oval crosssection.

Referring to the drawing, the connecter is formed of a sleeve I having ascrew thread formed on one end thereof for threaded engagement with aninternally threaded socket on a terminal box or meter casing or anyother housing into which the cable is to be introduced. Near thethreaded end of the sleeve is arranged a partition 2 which closes theend of the sleeve, except for conductor apertures 2a and Ib formed inthe partition wall. At the other end of the sleeve is arranged adetachable cap 3 having a conductor aperture 3a of a diameter sumcientlylarge to receive the largest size cable to be accommodated by theconnecter. Concentric with the aperture 3a is an annular groove 3bformed on the inner face of cap 3 for receiving the end of the sleeve I.The annular ring 3c forming the inner face of groove 3b extends into theend of sleeve I and compresses the sealing compound into contact withthe cable and with the walls of the sleeve. The cap 3 is secured to thesleeve I by means of screws la and Ib which .pass through holes formedin ears located on opposite sides of cap 3 and have threaded engagementwith projections or lugs Ia and Ib located on opposite sides of thesleeve I. Projections Ia and Ib are preferably located in the same planewith a section of the sleeve I which is formed with hexagonalcross-section as shown at Ic in Figure 5, although these projections maybe located either above or below the hexagonal section. It will beunderstood that the hexagonal section Ic is provided so that a wrenchmay be employed to turn the connecter in mounting it in its socket.

Arranged on the outer face of cap 3 are two aperture adjusting members 5and 5 which are identical in construction. 'I'he shape of these membersis clearly shown in Figure 7, and each member is formed as abifurcatedsheet metal plate having two legs 5a and` 5b and a shank 5c with anelongated slot 5d formed in the shank portion. The aperture adjustingelements 5 and 5' are maintained in adjusted position on the cap byreason of the screws 4a and 4b passing through the slots 5d. The cap 3is provided with two lugs ld and 3e on the buter face thereof, and theselugs serve as guides for the aperture members 5 and 5' and hold thesemembers against lateral displacement. Lugs 3d and 3e also extend overmembers 5 and 5' as shown in Figure 4 andA maintain them in .positionagainst the outer surface of the cap .3. I iind that a convenient shape`for the members 5 and 5' is obtained by Vtheir legs in overlappingrelation so that each aperture member straddles the conductor cable. Byadjusting the position of the two members 5 and 5 transversely of thecap, the conductor aperture can be adjusted to accommodate theparticular size of conductor employed. In Figure 2 the apertureadjusting members 5 and 5' are set to accommodate a conductor ofrelatively large size, and in this case the major axis of the conductoraperture is in line with the line passing through the screws da and Ibor parallel with the'direction of adjustment of members 5 and 5. InFigure 6 the aperture adjusting members 5 and 5' are shown in a positionadjusted to accommodate a substantially round -conductor cable; and inFigure '7 the aperture members have been adjusted to a greateroverlapping position to accommodate a smaller conductor having an ovalcross-section with the major axis of the conductor aperture located atright angles to the axis of the aperture in Figure 2. I

In installing the connecter, the sleeve I is screwed into its socket onthe casing or housing to receive the cable, the threaded connectionbetween the sleeve and the housing being made waterproof by applicationof suitable dope to the threads as is well understood. The end of thecable 6 is then prepared by removing the outer fabric covering to exposethe two insulated conductors 6a, 6b and the neutral conductors Sc. Thecap 3 is slipped over the end of the cable, and the conductors 6a and 6bare introduced into the open end of sleeve I and are threaded throughthe aperture 2b in the partition 2 of sleeve I,

, while the neutral conductors 5c are twisted together and threadedthrough the aperture 2a in this partition. The conductors Sa, 6b and 6care then connected to the appropriate terminals within the housing, andthe space surrounding the cable 6 within the sleeve I is filled with aplastic adhesive waterproof sealing composition 1 having a highdielectric strength. For this purpose, I prefer to'use the plasticadhesive sealing material known commercially as Duxseal because of itshigh dielectric strength, its insolubility in water, its resistance toall weather conditions and its substantially permanently plastic andadhesive character. x

After the sleevehas been filled with the sealing composition 1, the cap3'is brought into position over the end of the sleeve and is clamped tothe sleeve by screws 4a and 4b as shown in Figure 3. Before the screwsare made-up to a position to cause substantial compression of thesealing compound, the aperture adjusting members 5 and 5 are pushedinwardly until they engage the cable 6, thereby preventing escape of anysubstantial amount of the compound from the sleeve when the screws aremade-.up and the cap 3 is clamped to the sleeve I. It will be observedthat the ring 3c serves to displace a certain amount of compound in theend of the sleeve I and thereby cornpresses the sealing compound intointimate contactA with the inner surface of the sleeve and also intointimate contact with the surface of the cable 6 and the conductors ofthe cable. 'Ihe compound is also forced into the space between the cable6 and the aperture 3a in cap 3. Partition wall 2 prevents escapev of anysubstantial amount of the compound from the inner end of the sleeve.

By providing separate conductor apertures 2a and 2b in the partition 2as shown in Figure 5, the connecter is thereby rendered theft-proof,that is, it is not possible to remove the connecter from its socket andshunt current around the meter by inserting a wire in the connectersocket and hooking it onto the terminals inside. With the ends of theconductors connected to terminals within the meter casing or terminalbox, the sleeve I cannot be unscrewed from its socket due to the factthat the conductors arranged within separate apertures will preventsubstantial turning of the'sleeve. For this purpose, I prefer to formthe partition 2 integral with the sleeve I, but obviously this partitionmay be formed of a separate piece suitably secured to the sleeve toprevent relative turning of the partition within the sleeve.

It will be understood that the connecter is entirely weather-proof andwater-tight due to the character of the sealing composition employed.The sealing material retains its plasticvand adhesive qualities for along period of time and is not subject to ageing and shrinking as occursin the case of rubber packings or bushings. The adhesive quality of thecompound causes it to adhere to the surfaces of the connecter and theconductors and prevents the development of air spaces at these surfaces.The plastic quality allows slight relative movements between the variousparts without cracking of the compound or the development of voids.

What I claim is:

1. A connecter for an electric cable comprising a sleeve element, andadjustable aperture means located at one end of said sleeve comprising apair of bifurcated plates arranged in opposed overlapping relationtransversely of the axis of said sleeve and being adjustabletransversely of said sleeve whereby an adjustable aperture is formedbetween the legs of said bifurcated plates.

2. A connecter for an electric cable comprising a sleeve element, anannular cap for said sleeve arranged at one end thereof, a pair ofbifurcated plate elements carried by said cap and arranged in opposedoverlapping relation transversely of the axis of said lsleeve and beingad- :lustable transversely of'said sleeve whereby an adjustable apertureis formed between the legs of said bifurcated plate elements.

3. A connecter for an electric cable comprising a sleeve element, and anadjustable aperture means arranged at one end of said sleeve, said.aperture means comprising a pair of bifurcated plate elements arrangedin opposed overlapping relation Vtransversely of the axis of said sleeveand embodying means for guiding said plates for movement transversely ofsaid sleeve and parallel with the axis of bifurcation, and means forclamping said plates in adjusted position.

4. A connecter'for an electric cable comprising a sleeve element, anannular cap arranged at one end of said sleeve, and an adjustableaperture means carried by said cap comprising a pair of bifurcated plateelements arranged in opposed overlapping relation transversely of theaxis of said sleeve and embodying means for guiding said plates formovement transversely of said sleeve and parallel with the axis ofbifurcation,

and Ameans for clamping saidplates on said cap in adjusted podtion.

5. A connecter for an electric cable comprising a sleeve surroundingsaid cable, a sealing compound arranged within said sleeve, andadjustable aperture means located at the end of said sleeve andcooperating with said cable to hold said compound within said sleeve.

6. A connecter for an electric cable comprising a sleeve surroundingsaid cable, a sealing compound arranged within said sleeve, a cap forsaid sleeve at one end thereof and embodying an adjustable aperturesurrounding said cable and for retaining said compound in said sleeve.

'1. A connecter for an electric cable comprising a sleeve surroundingsaid cable, a sealing compound arranged within said sleeve, an annularcap forsaid sleeve at one end thereof and having an annular ring on theinner face thereof arranged to be positioned within the end of saidsleeve, adjustable means for clamping said cap to said sleeve wherebysaid annular ring displaces some of the sealing compound within saidsleeve, and adjustable aperture means carried by said cap andsurrounding said cable to prevent sealing compound from escapingthroughsaid cap.

8. A connecter for an electric cable comprising a sleeve element, anannular cap arranged at one end of said sleeve, a pair of bifurcatedplate elements arranged in opposed overlapping relation on the outerface of said cap, each of said plate elements having an elongated slotformed therein parallel with the axis of bifurcation, and means forsecuring said cap to said sleeve comprising a pair of screw elementspassing through said elongated slots in said plate elements and havingthreaded engagement with lugs positioned on opposite sides of saidsleeve element.

9. A connecter for an electric cable comprising a sleeve element, anannular cap 'arranged at one end of said sleeve, a pair of bifurcatedplate elements arranged in opposed overlapping relation on the outerface oi' said cap, each of said plate elements having an elongated slotformed therein parallel with the, axis of bifurcation, and means forsecuring said cap to said sleeve comprising a pair of screw elementspassing through said elongated slots in said plate elements and havingthreaded engagement with lugs positioned on opposite sides of saidsleeve element, said cap being provided with a pair of vlugs arranged toguide said plates for movement transversely of said sleeve and parallelwith said elongated slots, said last mentioned lugs being also arrangedto hold said plates in contact with said cap.

10. A water-proof and theft-proof connecter for an electric cablecomprising a sleeve surrounding said cable and having a screw-threadformed on one end thereof for screwing into a terminal housing, asealing compound arranged within said sleeve, an annular cap for saidsleeve at one end thereof and having an annular ring on the inner facethereof arranged to be positioned within the end of said sl'eeve,adjustable means for clamping said cap to said sleeve whereby saidannular ring displaces some of the sealing compound within said sleeve,adjustable aperture means carried by said cap and surrounding said cableto prevent sealing compound from escaping through said cap, said sleevebeing provided with a partition closing the threaded end thereof andhaving separate apertures for the conductors of said cable, whereby saidsleeve is locked against4 removal from its socket.

ALBERT J. WAYMAN.

